New Beer Now Added for August 5 Recreation of Historic Beer Tasting in Toronto

In my July 8 posting I explained the background and goals of this tasting. The tasting is described at the pub’s site as well, see www.allens.to/dora/

One beer, Steamwhistle Lager, appeared twice, this was intentional since some beers at the original (1944) tasting were offered in both draft and bottled form. The reason clearly was to allow guests to decide if the tastes differed and which they preferred. We felt we should do that with at least one beer and Steamwhistle was chosen. However, in further brainstorming, we decided it would be better to keep the Steamwhistle draft and slot in a new bottled one. The reason is that whether draft or bottled, Steamwhistle is (commendably in my view) unpasteurized. It should therefore taste the same in either form, perhaps with a minor difference in carbonation level. In the 40’s, the bottled beers would have all been pasteurized but draft was not. Comparing draft and bottled was more meaningful than today with craft beers such as Steamwhistle

Rolling Rock was chosen as the new beer. This way too we now have 12 different beers, not 11. Rolling Rock originated in 1939, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. It was presumably available during WW II and could have been on the original list: other beers from Pennsylvania were included. Certainly it represented a type which would have been familiar to the tasters, crisp, refreshing, and light-coloured. Numerous lagers served would have met this description including Ruppert lager.

Thus, it is of the period, American taste of the day, and offers another choice for the evening. (We are aware the bottled one is locally brewed but in my view, this does not change anything, as the taste is very similar to Rolling Rock in the 70’s when I first tasted it).